20130111-20 Let it snow

FRIDAY 11 JANUARY – We arrive at St James at 9.30am expecting a quick visit but this is not to be. Today they want to take extra blood for Steve’s 100 day tests. Steve’s Hickman line can come out now and the nurse arranges for his to come in next Monday for the operation. Doctor Suresh says all is going well although Steve is neutropenic again and will need a GCSF injection. Last week’s CMV result was negative so that is great news. It takes about 1 ½ to get the injection sorted so we don’t leave until 1.30pm. We stop at Rodley Nature reserve to find it is only open Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday. Fortunately it is at the side of the canal so we make that our walk for ½ hour. It’s pretty chilly; we woke to frost, so we make a brisk one. In Bingley we call in to Pete’s factory but he is away in Portugal in his motorhome. His brother Martin and wife Geraldine are there and invite us in for a drink and chat. As fellow motorhomers we have plenty to talk about.
KEIGHLEY – (+98)

SATURDAY 12 JANUARY – Steve is feeling a bit strange with achy bones so he takes an afternoon nap. I get great pleasure from finding a website where I can post mini clips of home videos to share with family and friends and get a great response.
KEIGHLEY – (+99)

SUNDAY 13 JANUARY – Day 100 for Steve and another increase in his chances of survival, not that we weren’t always determined he was going to make it anyway. Freecycle had 2012 Lonely Planet mags on offer so Steve heads to Oakworth to pick them up, the bundle even includes 2013 calendar and some mini guides so will make great reading. Nancy comes down for lunch. It’s a pleasant afternoon so we walk to then round the Tarn. Steve get’s waylaid en route when he see’s someone’s TV showing the Liverpool match and we have to drag him away from staring through the window. The Tarn is almost completely frozen and I reckon in another week or two it will make a great ice skating rink. In the evening we get a light snowfall.
KEIGHLEY – (+100)

MONDAY 14 JANUARY – The snow is no problem and the roads are clear. At St James Steve has his blood tests done and the neutrofils counts are now good. I’ve made a mistake and his 10.30am appointment is Friday and today’s appointment for his operation is 1.30pm. We hang around inside as it is snowing properly. The line removal involves cutting it out and a few stitches under local anaesthetic and all goes well so another milestone. The line has been in for over 9 months and served him well. In future bloods will be taken out of his arm. On the way back we make a small detour to “Leeds Leisure Vehicles” to check out different motorhome layouts. Turns out it is the same mob that traded as “Cordoba” from whom we bought our last motorhome. The salesman recognises us and is happy to show us around but we leave saying there is nothing suitable. It’s getting late so we call in at a “Sizzling pub” and find their £2.99 lunch is really good. When we get home we receive a penalty notice that Mum has forwarded to us. Just after Christmas Steve made the mistake of being in a bus lane at the wrong time and we have been issued a £60 fine but you get 50% discount for paying within 14 days which we will.
KEIGHLEY

TUESDAY 15 JANUARY – Steve drops me near town when he takes the car for MOT. I join Sandra and 2 other walking group members at the bus station. They are not sure whether the planned route will be passable with the snow. We meet Mary at her home and decide to give it a go. Walking along Hollins Lane the views are stunning and a light flurry of snow makes it really beautiful. There are some lovely houses and someone’s’ folly called Jubilee Tower that is now a farm. Dropping down into Steeton we have our picnics in the park then decide to walk back to Keighley along the old road. All up about an 8 mile walk for me and very pleasant indeed. The car passed the MOT, £45 so now I go on line to do the tax, £135. All so easy. Claire & Natasha call round and join us for a roast beef dinner and an evening of cards.
KEIGHLEY

WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY – It’s a really cold day not even making it above freezing so we hunker down. In the afternoon our ex GP, who is now a friend, Neil Wilson calls round. The only 2 people he previously knew of who had acute leukaemia died so he is delighted to see how well Steve is doing and wants to hear all about it.
KEIGHLEY

THURSDAY 17 JANUARY – We call in to see Mum and Dad who are both OK. At Morissons there are obvious signs of panic buying due to the snow that is forecast. All the check outs are open and people are queuing back down the aisles, unfortunately I only popped in for a few fresh fruit and veg but do make an impulse purchase of a pack of toilet rolls!
KEIGHLEY

FRIDAY 18 JANUARY – Whilst we had snow last night it was very fine and the roads are clear for our journey to Leeds. There’s quite a hold up in Shipley as the Leeds Road is closed due to a fire in the old cinema so we have to detour. Arriving at St James at 9.30am Steve just takes a number to have blood taken by the nurse as he no longer needs his Hickman Line dressing. We see Suresh and all blood tests are good, in fact for the first time since the transplant Steve’s leukocytes have gone above 1.0. Steve is now down to 4 tablets in the morning and 2 at night so all good progress. There’s a delay with his 10.30 bone marrow extraction and 2 hours later he gets it done and says it was somewhat more painful with that particular Doctor. The results will be telling as they should show that Steve has no cancer in his bone marrow. We must return next Wednesday to get these results and for Steve to being his quarterly intrathecal injections of chemotherapy to protect his brain! We get home mid afternoon just as it starts to snow. Tomorrow we planned to drive down to Market Drayton and surprise Mum at a birthday meal in the evening but speaking to Netty on the phone it would be foolish to risk the journey as there is lots of snow in the Midlands. Very disappointed having not been down since last August and it was a great opportunity to catch up with family and friends but on balance not worth the risk. Steve is pretty uncomfortable in the night as the site of the bone marrow extraction aches but he declines offers of paracetamol.
KEIGHLEY

SATURDAY 19 JANUARY – After another light dusting of snow the roads are clean and we would probably have set off but hear that Market Drayton area is really bad. Claire calls round after lunch and I end up making some cranberry and some cheese scones, few are left when she leaves. We’ve had no further snow fall so accept Sandra’s invite to pop round in the evening.
KEIGHLEY

SUNDAY 20 JANUARY – It’s cold and miserable out so I have a pyjama day. In the afternoon Claire phones for help as he window is jammed open, as I have not got dressed it is Steve who has to go to the rescue and force it shut.
KEIGHLEY